Rep. Akin: Liberalism hates God

Rep. Todd Akin is standing by his remark that “the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God” after an uproar from liberal clergy members.

Akin (R-Mo.) told Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on his radio show Friday that “the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God,” in a discussion of NBC editing out the phrase “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance during the network’s telecast of the U.S. Open two weeks ago.

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His remarks were first reported by liberal blogs Think Progress and Right Wing Watch.

“I’m a liberal because I love God and all God’s creation,” the Rev. Krista Taves of Ellisville, Mo., told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “ I value equality, fairness and compassionate justice because my faith informs my politics.”

After the outcry from Taves and other liberal-minded local clergy, Akin, who is seeking Missouri’s 2012 GOP Senate nomination, told St. Louis radio station KMOX on Monday that no apologies would be forthcoming.

“ I don’t think there’s anything to apologize for,” he said. “I think I can clarify that I was talking about public references, too. I think that clarifies it a little bit. But there’s just such a historic pattern there, that I think that it probably could’ve been clarified but no, I’m not going to apologize for what I see liberalism doing in trying to take God out.”

Akin’s spokesman, Steve Taylor, said the six-term congressman wasn’t speaking about specific people, but rather a theory of liberalism that places government and not God at the center of the public sphere.

“One of the main differences between liberalism and conservative ideology is how basic rights are viewed,” Taylor told POLITICO Tuesday. “One, it’s [Akin’s] belief that in conservative ideology, our rights come from God and it is the role of government is to protect those rights. It is his belief that liberalism emphasizes that rights come from government and governments, and not from God.”

Taylor said Akin was busy with personal business and was not immediately available for comment.